The Portland daily press., 1887-01-21
THE BLACKSTONE CASE.
Tho Prisoner to Be Remanded for
Another Eight Days.
Witnesses to Co TO Winnipeg from
Portland Saturday.

Sheriff Wormell, who has had the Black
stone case in charge arrived in Portland
from Winnipeg Wednesday night and left
for his home in Bethel yesterday noon. In
conversation with PRESS reporter yester-
day morning Sheriff Wormell said that the
manner in which Blackstone was reported
to have been arrested was not quite correct.
The facts are that Mrs. Blackstone and
family had arrived in Winnipeg from st.
Paul and Mr.. Blackstone had met them,
Swallowed by Mr.. Wormell and Detective
Mckenzie of Winnipeg, and taken them to a
hotel, called the Robin House. Then Mr..
Blackstone went out on the street and was
confronted by the officers who arrested him.
Mr. Blackstone went to pieces" so to
speak, at once. He was not cool, nor col
lected. After he was taken to prison by
Detective Mckenzie, his brother-in-law-
Mr.. Fling of st. Paul-and his wife met him
there Mr.. Wormell says his brother-in-law
has advised him that it is by far the best
thing lie can do to return home because he
has many friends in Portland and vicinity
who would probably assist him in his trial.
The minister of the Orthodox church in
Winnipeg which Blackstone attended, and
where he had a fiourishing class in the sun
day School, also counselled him to return.
Blackstone however said he would do Just
as his wife thought best, and his wife said
she dld not feel competent to advise 1t is
probable that Mr.. Blackstone will take adj
vantage of all technicalites to remain in
| Winnipeg.
The crime, on which Blackstone will be
extradited, will be forgery as has been before
reported. The most of the money taken from
the bank was obtained on raised checks, and
while Mr. Wormell did not say so, it is in,
timated that when Blackstone did not return
to Portland after his Thanksgiving vacation
the bank officers became suspicious and dis
covered traces of swindling. Then to con-
firm their knowledge of wrong doing came
Blackstono's letter announcing his pecula-
tions. IL is also said that several Portland
business men fell into the same speculation
that Blackstone lost his money in but were
fortunate enough to have the money to put
up the margins without committing forgery
or robbery.
The court before which Blackstone was
arraigned is Manitoban Provincial Court.
presided over by Magistrate Moore This
court corresponds with our municipal court.
By the Dominion laws prisoner who is
wanted for extradition and is brought before
the court, can only be remanded to await
evidence for eight days at a time. At the
end of that eight days he may be remanded
again for eight days more. Then comes the
hearing for extradition and if the Justice de-
cldes that the case is extraditable the pri-
soner is again remanded for fifteen days to
await the extradition papers. In this case
the Portland parties are represented by
Messrs Macarthur, Dexter and Donovan of
Winnipeg, and Mr. Blackstone by Mr.. II.
M. Howell, @. c., these letters standing for
Queens Counsel.
This morning Mr.. Blackstone will be
called up by the court and another delay of
eight days will be asked for and granted
Saturday morning Sheriff Wormell accompa-
MED by Vice President Elias Thomas, Dis
count Clerk Allen, and some lawyer who will
have all the legal papers in the case, will
start for Winnipeg They will arrive there
in time for the hearing next Friday, and
then, If Mr. Blackstone's offense is deemed
extraditablc. he will be brought to Portland
in about three weeks and have a hearing be-
fore Judge Gould in the Municipal Court.
When arrested all the money Mr. Black
stone possessed-that he had taken from the
bank-was about 1000. OF this sum he had
$500 in cash, and he had brought check
with the other $500, when he left Portland.
The man who cashed the check in Winnipeg
was much alarmed at first, after he heard of
the arrest, for fear he had cashed forged
check.
Blackstone, when arrested, had shaved off
his side whiskers and moustache, and adopt
ed clerical style of dress, as disguise.
When Sheriff Wormell left Winnipeg for
home lastSaturday Justice Moore told him
that there was hardly ghost of chance for
Blackstone to avoid extradition.